Stumbling hastily off our overnight bus, that we had barely caught, we grab our bags and started to wake to the realisation that, now, we were in Osaka. The last I had been in Japan, I was on a school study tour that included a week where I would be hosted by a family in Osaka. That was 5 years ago. A town as large as this can't change all that much in a relatively short time. It was good to be back and I was excited.
Unlike in Tokyo, where we could take it slow getting around, we now had to make the most of the two days we were in town. Growl. You hungry? Despite the vague directions our hostel provided us, we were soon checking out our new temporary home. It was quite shabby. Hmm, well we're only here for one night and it is pretty cheap. Nonetheless our stomachs hadn't forgotten they wanted food, so after getting the low-down of the local food and area from the all-smiles receptionist we were out on the street again in hope of reminding ourselves what food tastes like. We eat kushiage, normally, with beer. By now, we were wandering the streets, in what was for Japan, the early hours of the morning. Nothing was open aside from a 24-hour kushiage shop.
Does this remind you of Asakusa? Half the shops aren't open, and it's full of old men. All that's missing is an AV cinema. After finishing off our fried food and beer breakfast, it seemed time to head back and finally wash up. Travelling between cities via bus is fun and cheap, and by that I mean you get almost no sleep and arrive at your destination feeling like balls, but because you endured it all you're now able to afford some breakfast. I recommend it.
Now that the awkward hostel shower session was over, we are ready for anything. Heads high. Positive. I need a memory card. Den-Den Town it is!
Where's all the people? That's the thing about Tokyo. When you first land, you stupidly think to yourself, "Yeah there actually is a lot of people here." It's not until a few days later, that you get used to it and you don't realise how populated of a city it is until you leave for a smaller city like Osaka.
I didn't end up buying a memory card, and as shaddy as some places of Den-Den town was there were a few cute little charming shops that are worth a look.
By now the sun had long been set, and dinner had just landed in our stomachs. Time for us to check out the dancing streets of Namba.
Wondering through some back streets, an open garage catches my eye. Why does this place have two cars up on hoists, yet is outfitted nothing like a workshop? That's when I spot two old Minolta's setup side-by-side on a tripod. A sort of 3D/landscape getup. I have no idea what this place actually is, so I quickly run in to snap a photo and get out before being caught for trespassing. *click* Too late.
An old man emerges from the darkness to introduce himself and this place. As random as this shop's inventory was, the old man introduces his shop in fluent English. Some kind of "Second Hand Antique Treasure Strove". Makes sense. After returning our introductions, he tells us his son had been on exchange to Melbourne once before. Now I wonder, did he his son attend the Sister School of my High School? I didn't dare ask and I regret it.
Nothing against the old man's hospitality, but we've been burned once before, in Tokyo, by seemingly kind strangers, so Mister Ho and I were quite guarded toward the genuine sounding old bloke. Regardless, he still showed us the openly positive hospitality that the Japanese are famous for. You like old goods? Come I show you. Escorting us back onto the street he recommended we check out the local antique museum next door. Of course it was closed by this time, but nonetheless we should check it out in the morning.
The next part is a little random. Somehow, as we exchanged small talk on the street, we start talking the topic of sake. Taking us back to into his shop, the old man quite proudly showed us an old sake cup set he pulled of the shelves. Is this the catch? He wants us to buy this? The shop's lighting was, honestly, not that brilliant, so Mister Ho and I feign as much interest toward the old man and his cups. You'll forgive us we if were a little startled when we notice the old man had presented us a dust covered bottle of sake. Even in the poor lighting I could still see the flicker of gold flakes fall down the little bottle from the areas he had wiped clear. Shockingly, he opens the bottle and pours us all a full cup. We cheers and drink up. Kuuuu, that was smooth. Handing our cups back, we give our thanks. What a nice old man. Unfortunately the old man needed to get home to his wife and dinner, so we bid our farewells and thanked him once again for the friendly hospitality. What the fuck just happened,? All I did was walk in to photograph his cameras. Who cares, I want more of that gold flaked sake!
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